Pool table with hollow reinforcing rim constituting pocket connected ball conveying means



May 16. 1967 L. BENDER 3,319,958 POOL TABLE WITH HOLLOW REINFORCING RIMCONSTITUTING POCKET CONNECTED BALL CONVEYING MEANS Filed March 15, 19655 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

I0 115' W, 1 I16 17 INVENTOR L095 EN E BY ATTORNEYS.

May 16, 1967 1.. BENDER 3,319,958

POOL TABLE WITH HOLLOW REINFORCING RIM CONSTITUTING POCKET CONNECTEDBALL CONVEYING MEANS Filed March 15, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR LOUIS BENDER BY Lima 6 ATT RNEYS.

May 16, 1967 L. BENDER LOW REINFOHCING RIM CONS 3 t e e h 6 M s I t T eU 6 T h I S T5 9 POOL TABLE WITH HOL POCKET CONNECTED BALL CONVEYINGMEAN Filed March 15, 1965 Twm R L M V! Y RN T O N T8 R S 0 E V w T WLFcJ Y. 8 mm United States Patent P601. TABLE WITH HOLLOW REINFORCING RIMCONT1TUTKNG POCKET CONNECTED BALL CONVEYiN-G MEANS Louis Bender, 606Crescent Ave., Plainfield, NJ, 07060 Fiied Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No.439,901 12 Claims. (Cl. 27311) This invention relates to pool tables andespecially to light weight portable and storable pool tables.

One of the prime requisites of a good pool table is a level fiat planesurface which shows little or no tendency to warp. Such surfaces aregenerally provided by slabs of slate although tables of a moreinexpensive variety have been made employing plywood or compressed paperboard as the playing surface support. Irrespective of the materialemployed for the purpose of supporting the playing surface, pool tablesas employed today are generally large and extremely heavy, especiallywhen high quality slate supporting surfaces are present. Thus, they arenot readily portable or storable, as may be desired. Furthermore, suchpool tables are usually quite expensive.

Many efforts have been made to construct light weight portable andreadily storable pool tables for home use. While the portability andstorability of such tables are readily achievable, generally speaking,the quality of such a table is so low as to make it difficult if notimpossible to play a game resembling pool on a high quality pool table.That is to say there is generally quick warpage of the playing surfacewhich results in a very poor playing table.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved pool table which is inexpensive to produce and which provides arelatively rigid playing surface.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new andimproved low cost pool table having pockets integrally formed thereintogether with a sloping runway for carrying calls which fall into suchpockets down to a central ball receiving area.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a new,inexpensive and light weigh-t pool table.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a newand improved base for a pool table support surface which is light weightand inexpensive.

The above and other objects, characteristics and features of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pool table embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the bottom half of the pool table base;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a front end view of the pool table.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIG. 1thereof, the pool table embodying the present invention is generallydesignated by the reference numeral 10. Pool table 10 includes a base 12and a foldable or collapsible leg support structure 14. The base 12 ismade of an upper portion 16 and a lower portion 18 which are joinedtogether in a manner to be described hereinafter. The leg supportstructure 14 consists of two pairs of interconnected legs one pair beingdesignated by the reference numeral 20 and the other by the plan view ofthe pool table of "ice reference numeral 22. Leg pair includes two legs24 and 26 which are integrally joined at their tops by a cross piece148. Leg pair 22 includes two legs 28 and 30 which are integrally joinedat their tops by a cross piece 156. Legs 24 and 26 are braced on eitherother by tie rods 32 and 34 and legs 28 and 30 are braced on each otherby tie rods 36 and 38. The manner of securing the pairs of legs to thetable base 12 will be described subsequently in this specification.

As previously stated, the base 12 of pool table 10 comprises an upperportion 16 and lower portion 18. Both upper and lower portions 16 and 18are preferably vacuum formed from a suitable thermoplastic material suchas, for example, polymethylmethacrylate; vinyls such aspolyvinylchloride, vinylchloride, Vinyl acetate copolymer;acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastics; styrene homopolymers andcopolymers; polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, all ofwhich may be filled or unfilled, and other suitable thermoplasticmaterials. The presently preferred material is styrene. Portions 16 and18 could be otherwise formed such as by injection molding. The upperportion 16 is provided with a rectangular planar surface portion 40 withan upwardly extending concave peripheral marginal portion 42. Theperipheral marginal portion 42 is formed by an upwardly verticallyextending marginal wall 44 which is bent into a short downwardlyextending wall 46 that terminates in a horizontal surface 48 of shortextent that is integral with another upwardly extending wall 50. Theportions 46, 48 and 50 define a recess 52 for receiving the bumper 54 tobe described in greater detail hereinafter. The upwardly extendingperipherally continuous wall 56 terminates at its upper edge in anoutwardly and downwardly extending surface 56 which at its lower edge(which is substantially coplanar with surface 46) is provided with anoutwardly bent peripherally continuous marginal flange 58.

The lower base portion 18 includes a rectangular, horizontal surfaceportion 60 which is broken by a number of longitudinally extendingV-shaped grooves 62 which are vacuum formed in the bottom portion 18 asby providing two downwardly and inwardly extending groove wall portions64 and 66 which terminate in an integrally formed horizontal groovebottom 68. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, there are eight longitudinallyextending grooves 62 although any suitable number may be provided. Thepurpose of the longitudinally extending grooves 62 in the bottomhorizontal surface 60 is to stiffen the bottom horizontal surface 60against flexure in the longitudinal direction. The horizontal surface 60is of substantially the same marginal extent as upper horizontal surface40 and is surrounded by a downwardly extending concave peripherallycontinuous marginal portion 61 of like width as top concave portion 42.Concave portion 61 includes a downwardly extending wall portion 70 whichcurves at its bottom into a horizontally extending track forming portion72. The left hand end of the track portion 72 as viewed in FIG. 2 isintegrally connected with a downwardly extending wall 74 which in turnis integrally connected with the outer wall 76 having at its upper edgean outwardly extending flange 78 in surface-to-surface relation with theflange 58. The downwardly extending portion 74 and the lower part of theouter wall 76 of bottom 18 form a skirt 80, the purpose of which is togive a uniform height to the entire base 12 of the pool table 10notwithstanding the fact that portion 72 of the base 18 slants from therear end of the table to the front. This slanted track is designated onone side of the central receiving portion 82 by the reference numeral 84and on the other side by the reference numeral 86.

The central ball receiving recess or station 82 is formed substantiallywholly in the bottom portion 18 of base 12 and has a base portion 88 anda rear wall portion 91 both of which are formed integrally with thebottom 18. The base 88 is shown disposed below the bottom of the skirt80 formed by the downwardly extending wall portion 74 and the outer wall76. A large aperture 90 is provided in the side wall 76 of the front 92of the base 12, which aperture 90 is adapted to permit the insertion ofa players hand for the removal of balls from ball receiving station 82.It will be seen that the ball tracks 84 and 86 are in directcommunication with the central ball receiving station 82 and, as will beunderstood more fully hereinafter, as balls move down the tracks 84 and86 they will drop into the central ball receiving station 82. In the topportion 16 of base 12, principally in the upwardly extending marginalconcave portion 42, are six ball receiving apertures or pockets 94, 96,98, 100, 102 and 104, a small portion of each of which is provided inthe horizontal surface 40 of top portion 16. Those parts of each of thepockets 94 to 104 inclusive which extend through the marginal concaveportion 42 of top 16 are defined by arcuate vertically extending walls106, 108, 110, 112, 114 and 116, respectively. Each of the apertures 94to 104, when the base is assembled in the manner to be describedhereinafter, is in register with track 84 or 86 in the bottom part 18.

As is customary with all quality pool tables, cushions are providedalong the marginal wall 44 of the playing surface of the pool table topermit balls impinging against said marginal wall to bounce therefrom inaccordance with the play of the game. One of the major problems that hasbeen encountered in previous inexpensive pool tables is that ofobtaining sufiicient bounce or resiliency in the cushions. In accordancewith the present invention the cushions 54 are made of a suitable highlyresilient material such as rubber or neoprene or, preferably, ethylenecopolymer in an extruded form having a substantially rectangular baseportion 118 with an inwardly directed horizontal portion 120 whichterminates in a downwardly curving lip 122 located to fend a ball 124off from the wall 44 and to impart to any ball impinging thereagainstsubstantial bounce. Of course, the cushion could be injection molded.The rectangularly cross-sectioned base portion 118 is of slightly largertransverse dimension than the width of the bumper receiving cavity 52 sothat when it is forced into the cavity 52, it will remain so positionedby virtue of friction. That is, it is pressfitted into cavity or groove52. Of course, other means of securing the bumper to the table may beemployed such as adhesives, staples, screws, etc. Moreover, base portion118 need not be solid as shown. It could be grooved if desired. Pocketdeflectors 107, 109, 111, 113, 115 and 117 may be provided at the upperedge of each of the arcuate downwardly extending wall portions 106 to116 respectively surrounding the pockets 94 to 104, respectively, whichdeflectors are shaped to deflect any ball impinging thereagainstdownwardly to insure that a ball being hit into a pocket will not bounceout of that pocket. To provide a suitable surface for the pool playing apiece of felt is glued to the upper surface of horizontal base portion40 and, preferably, to the upwardly extending vertical marginal wallportion 44. The felt surface is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 and isdesignated by the reference numeral 126.

To construct a pool table base 12 in accordance with the aforedescribedstructure, a sheet of suitable thermoplastic material is placed in amold for forming the top part 16, the sheet of thermoplastic material isheated and a vacuum is drawn to cause the upper part 16 to be formed aspreviously described. After cooling and removal from the mold, the sixapertures 94 to 104 defining the pockets are punched out of the sheet.Thereafter, the felt which has been precut to conform to the shape ofthe rectangular playing surface, as modified by the pockets 94 to 104,is laid over the surface which has been theretofore suitably coated withan adhesive and is accordingly glued to the top surface of horizontalsupport 40 and to the vertically extending marginal wall 44. Then thecushions 54 are placed between the pockets 94 and 96, 96 and 98, 98 and100, 100 and 102, 102 and 104, and 104 and 94 by pressing theirrectangular base portions 54 into the recess 52 in the concave part 42of the upper base portion 16. The arcuate downwardly acting deflectors107, 109, 111, 113, and 117 are similarly connected around theirassociated pockets.

In a parallel operation, the bottom part 18 of base 12 is also vacuumformed in a conventional manner from a thermoplastic sheet in accordancewith the aforedescribed construction. After removal from the vacuumforming mold, the aperture 90 in the central ball receiving station 82is punched or otherwise cut out of the front wall of the bottom part 18,that is, wall 92.

In accordance with the present invention the upper and lower parts 16and 18 are now joined. The joining of these two parts is accomplished bycoating the lower surface of horizontal portion 40 and, if desired, theupper surface of horizontal portion 60, with a suitable adhesive suchas, for example, epoxy, rubber resin contact cement, and so forth. Afterthe adhesive is applied to portion 40, the horizontal portion 60 ofbottom part 18 is pressed into adhering relation therewith, the twoparts being aligned so that their outwardly extending flanges 58 and 78are in register around the entire periphery of the table base 12. At thecompletion of the gluing step the top and bottom portions 16 and 18,respectively, are joined at their flanges 58 and 78 in any suitablefashion such as by adhesives or rivets or the like. Preferably, however,the joining of these two flanges is accomplished by means of staples128. After stapling of the flanges 58 and 78 around the entire marginalextent thereof is accomplished, a resilient protector with a V-shapedcross section may be disposed about both joined flanges to provide forprotection and improved appearance. This V-shaped member is hereindesignated by the reference numeral 130. Of course, other means, such asmetal channels, may be employed to cover the connected flanges 58 and78.

By providing two relatively thin plastic sheets in laminar adheringrelation, as is true of the parts 40 and 60 of the top and bottomportions 16 and 18 of base 12, and by surrounding these glued togethersurfaces by a hollow marginal box-like portion 132 defined by theupwardly extending concave portion 42 of top 16 and the downwardlyextending concave portion 61 of the bottom 18 which portion 61 isdefined by the wall portions 70, 72, 74 and 76 previously described, aconstruction is achieved which yields great rigidity of the playingsurface of the pool table, notwithstanding the considerable flexibilityof the component parts. This rigidity is not materially weakened by theprovision of the apertures 94 to 104 for the pockets of the pool tablenor by the provision of the aperture 90 for the central ball receivingstation in the bottom of the base 12.

As previously noted, the pockets 94 to 104 register with the tracks 84and 86. It has also previously been stated that the tracks 84 and 86slope toward the central ball receiving station 82. That is, the tracks84 and 86 slope from the rear 134 of the table to the front 92 of thetable so that balls dropping into, for example, the pocket 100 will dropinto the track 86 which slopes toward the central ball receiving station82 whereby to cause the ball to roll down the track 86 and into saidball receiving station.

A suitable scoring means may be provided on the table 10. As shown inFIG. 6 the scoring means are disposed at the front 92 on upwardlyextending concave portion 42. Scoring means 125 includes two rotatablediscs 127 with indieia 0 to 9 on each and an index means to indicate theappropriate numerical indicia. Other scoring means may be employed.

In accordance with another feature of the present inven-tion, thetransverse rigidity of the base 12 can be increased by the provision ofseveral transversely extending grooves in a manner similar to thelongitudinal grooves 62 previously described. The transverse grooves arehere shown as four in number, and are designated by the referencenumerals 136, 138, 140 and 142. It will be seen that grooves 136 and 138are in the nature of a closely spaced pair with an upwardly extendingdepression or recess 144 therebetween. Likewise, the grooves 140 and 142are a closely spaced pair with a recess 146 therebetween. The recesses144 and 146 may be employed as a means for attaching the leg pairs 26and 22 to the bottom of the base 12. This is most conveniently effectedby forming the legs 24 and 26 as the vertically extending parts ofintegral U-shaped leg assembly 2%} having a horizontal part 148, whichhorizontal part 148 fits into the groove 144 with some clearance andwhich is held in the groove for rotation as by two straps 150 and 152both of which are connected to the bottoms of transverse grooves 136 and138 by any suitable means such as by bent over upstruck portions, orrivets or the like. Such connecting means are designated by thereference numeral 154. Likewise, the legs 28 and 30 are verticallyextending parts of a U-shaped leg assembly 22 in which the horizontalportion is designated by the reference numeral 156 which horizontal partis received with some clearance inside of the space 146 between the twotransverse grooves 140 and 142. Suitable strap means 158 and 160 overliethe horizontal portion 156 of the U-shaped leg assembly to hold thehorizontal part 156 in the recess 146 for rotation therein. The strapsare connected by means 154 previously described.

It will be seen that the two leg assemblies are pivotally mounted on thebase 12 of the pool table. This provides for a complete collapse of thepool table if desired. However, when the pool table is to be in useablecondition with the legs in the condition shown in FIG. 1, means must beprovided to releasably hold the two leg assemblies in such condition.These means are .angularly extending rods 162, 164, 166 and 168 whichare pivotally connected respectively to the legs 24, 26, 28 and 30. Thefree ends of each of the rods 162 to 168 are provided with transverselyinturned portions 170 which are adapted to fit into apertures 17?. inthe vertically extending part of angle brackets 174 secured to thebottom surface of horizontal portion 6% of the bottom part 18 of base12. As shown herein the means for securing the angle brackets 174 arerivets 17 6 although, clearly, other securing means could be employed.Thus, it will be seen that when it is desired to set up the pool table19 for use the U-shaped leg assemblies are pivoted to a right angleposition relative to the base 12 in which position the rods 162, 164,166 and 168 are flexed to permit their inwardly bent end portions 170 tocome into register with the apertures 172 in the angle brackets 174 andthereupon are guided through said apertures under the urging of theresiliency of the rods themselves. With the in bent end portions sodisposed in the apertures 172 the legs are held in fixed verticalposition. When, however, it is desired to put the table away, as in acloset or the like, all that need be done is to flex the inturned endportions 170 of the rods 162 to 168 out of the apertures 172 of theangle brackets 174 thereby unlocking the legs and permitting the foldingof the legs into substantial surface-to-surface relation with the bottomof base 12. It should be noted that in accordance with the presentlypreferred construction, each of the legs 24 to 30 inclusive is providedwith an adjustable foot 178 which is threadedly mounted in a suitablefixture 180 pressed into the bottof of each of the legs. By providingthe adjustable feet 178 good leveling can be achieved for the playingsurface of the table.

Of course, if desired, the leg assembly 14 can be completely deletedwithout departing from the present invention. That is to say, the base12 can be employed by itself as on a suitable support such as a kitchentable or the like.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have devised anovel pooltable which is comprised mainly of two thin sheets ofrelatively flexible thermoplastic material which have been vacuumformed. When the vacuum formed sheets are joined together, they form acentral planar support surface and a box-like marginal portionsurrounding the support surface. The assembled structure is extremelyrigid and substantially non-warping. This construction is inexpensive tofabricate and extremely light weight thereby making it readily portableor storable. In addition, I have provided a new and improved cushion for,a pool table, which bumper gives substantial bounce due to its speciallip construction. Further, I have provided means for stiffening my tableconstruction by providing longitudinal ridges and trans verse ridges,the latter of which also provide means for mounting folding legsthereon. All of these features are accomplished with a minimum of laborand materials in an inexpensive fashion to yield a very loW cost, lightweight, readily portable, readily storable pool table.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred form of thepresent invention and have suggested modifications therein, otherchanges and modifications may be made therein within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A base for a pool table, comprising an upper portion and a lowerportion, said upper portion comprising a horizontal planar part ofrectangular periphery surrounded by an upwardly extending downwardlyconcave marginal portion including an upwardly extending wall along theperiphery of said horizontal planar part, said lower portion comprisinga horizontal planar part surrounded by a downwardly extending upwardlyconcave marginal portion whose outer peripheral edge is in substantialregister with the outer peripheral edge of said upper marginal portion,said downwardly extending concave marginal portion defining ball trackreturn means that is slanted toward a ball receiving station, meanspermitting access from outside said table base to said ball receivingstation, means for connecting aid horizontal parts to one another, meansfor connecting said outer peripheral edges of said marginal portions toone another in surface-tosurface relation, said upper portion havingaperture means therein in registry with said ball track return means.

2. The table base of claim 1, wherein said aperture means comprises sixapertures, four of said apertures being located adjacent the fourcorners of said upper horizontal planar part and the remaining twoapertures being located midway along the longitudinally extending sidesthereof.

3. The table base of claim 2, wherein the major portions of saidapertures extend through said upper marginal portion and the minorportions extend through said upper horizontal planar part.

4. The table base of claim 3, wherein vertically extending arcuate wallssurround those portions of said apertures extending through said uppermarginal portion.

5'. The table base of claim 3, in which said horizontal parts are inclose confronting relation, and the means for connecting said horizontalparts is adhesive, and the means for connecting the outer peripheries ofsaid marginal portions in surface-to-surface relation is distributedalong said outer periphery.

6. A base for a pool table, comprising an upper portion and a lowerportion, said upper portion comprising a horizontal planar part ofrectangular periphery surrounded by an upwardly extending downwardlyconcave marginal portion including an upwardly extending wall along theperiphery of said horizontal planar part, said lower portion comprisinga horizontal planar part surrounded by a downwardly extending upwardlyconcave marginal portion whose outer peripheral edge is in substantialregister with the outer peripheral edge of said upper marginal portion,means for connecting said horizontal parts to one another, means forconnecting said outer peripheral edges of said marginal portions to oneanother, said upper portion having six apertures therein, four of saidapertures being located adjacent the four corners of said upperhorizontal planar part and the remaining two apertures belng locatedmidway along the longitudinally extending sides thereof, said lowerhorizontal planar part having a plurality of depending longitudinallyextending ridges.

7. The table base of claim 6, wherein all parts of said upper portionare integral and all parts of said lower portion are integral.

8. A base for a pool table, comprising an upper portion and a lowerportion, said upper portion comprising a horizontal planar part ofrectangular periphery surrounded by an upwardly extending downwardlyconcave marginal portion including an upwardly extending wall along theperiphery of said horizontal planar part, said lower portion comprisinga horizontal planar part surrounded by a downwardly extending upwardlyconcave marginal portion whose outer peripheral edge is in substantialregister with the outer peripheral edge of said upper marginal portion,means for connecting said horizontal parts to one another, means forconnecting said outer peripheral edges of said marginal portions to oneanother, said upper portion having six apertures therein, four of saidapertures being located adjacent the four corners of said upperhorizontal planar part and the remaining two apertures being locatedmidway along the longitudinally extending sides thereof, portions ofsaid apertures extending through said upper marginal portion andportions of said apertures extending through said upper horizontalplanar part, said upper marginal portion including vertically extendingarcuate walls surrounding those portions of said apertures extendingthrough said upper marginal portion, said upper marginal portion havinggrooves extending substantially parallel to and closely spaced from saidupwardly extending wall thereof and from arcuate wall to arcuate wall,and a plurality of resilient cushions, one for each groove, each of saidcushions including a base portion press-fitted into its associatedgroove and a lip portion extending outwardly over said horizontal planarpart.

9. The table base of claim 8, wherein said lip is downwardly curved.

10. The table base of claim 8, and deflector means at the top of each ofsaid arcuate walls for deflecting objects caroming thereotf downwardlyinto the associated aperture.

11. A base for a pool table, comprising an upper portion and a lowerportion, said upper portion comprising a horizontal planar part ofrectangular periphery surrounded by an upwardly extending downwardlyconcave marginal portion including an upwardly extending Wall along theperiphery of said horizontal planar part, a lower portion comprising ahorizontal planar part surrounded by a downwardly extending upwardlyconcave marginal portion whose outer peripheral edge is in substantialregister with the outer peripheral edge of said upper marginal portion,said upper and lower horizontal parts being of substantially the sameperipheral size and shape and being in close confronting relation, saidlower horizontal part being provided with a plurality of longitudinallyextending depending grooves, the parts of said upper portion beingintegrally formed from a plastic sheet, the parts of said lower portionbeing integrally formed from a plastic sheet, adhesive means forsecuring said horizontal parts to one another throughout substantiallytheir entire confronting surfaces, distributed means for connecting theouter peripheral edges of said marginal portions to one another, saidupper portion having six apertures therein, four of said apertures beinglocated adjacent the four corners of said upper horizontal planar partand the remaining two apertures being located midway along thelongitudinally extending sides thereof, the major portions of saidapertures extending through said upper marginal portion and the minorportions extending through said horizontal planar part, said uppermarginal portion further including vertically extending arcuate walls insurrounding relation with those portions of said apertures extendingthrough said upper marginal portion, said upper marginal portion beingfurther provided with grooves extending substantially parallel to andclosely spaced from said upwardly extending wall thereof and fromarcuate wall to arcuate wall, and a plurality of resilient bumpers, onefor each groove, each of said bumpers including a base portionpress-fitted into its associated groove and a lip portion extending oversaid horizontal planar part, said lower marginal portion defining acentral ball receiving station at one end of said base, and said lowermarginal portion further defining track means in registry with saidapertures and sloping from said other end of said base to said ballreceiving station.

12. A base for a pool table, comprising an upper portion and a lowerportion, said upper portion comprising a horizontal planar part ofrectangular periphery surrounded by an upwardly extending downwardlyconcave marginal portion including an upwardly extending wall along theperiphery of said horizontal planar part, a lower portion comprising ahorizontal planar part surrounded by a downwardly extending upwardlyconcave marginal portion whose outer peripheral edge is in substantialregister with the outer peripheral edge of said upper marginal portion,means for connecting said horizontal parts to one another, means forconnecting said outer peripheral edges of said marginal portions to oneanother, said upper portion having six apertures therein, four of saidapertures being located adjacent the four corners of said upperhorizontal planar part and the remaining two apertures being locatedmidway along the longitudinally extending sides thereof, portions ofsaid apertures extending through said upper marginal portion andportions of said apertures extending through said upper horizontalplanar part, said upper marginal portion including vertically extendingarcuate walls surrounding those portions of said apertures extendingthrough said upper marginal portion, said upper marginal portion havinggrooves extending substantially parallel to and closely spaced from saidupwardly extending wall thereof and from arcuate wall to arcuate wall,and a plurality of resilient cushions, one for each groove, each of saidcushions including a base portion disposed within its associated grooveand a lip portion curving downwardly from the top of the base portion ofthe cushion toward said upper horizontal planar part, and means forsecuring said cushion base portion within said groove.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 240,461 4/1881Reingardt 27311 1,543,550 6/1925 Correale et al. 27311 1,628,446 5/1927Allinger 27311 1,705,890 3/1929 Bishop 273-6 X 2,923,546 2/1960 Santiago2739 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

1. A BASE FOR A POOL TABLE, COMPRISING AN UPPER PORTION AND A LOWERPORTION, SAID PORTION COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL PLANAR PART OF RECTANGULARPERIPHERY SURROUNDED BY AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY CONCAVEMARGINAL PORTION INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING WALL ALONG THEPERIPHERY OF SAID HORIZONTAL PLANAR PART, SAID LOWER PORTION COMPRISINGA HORIZONTAL PLANAR PART SURROUNDED BY A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING UPWARDLYCONCAVE MARGINAL PORTION WHOSE OUTER PERIPHERAL EDGE IS IN SUBSTANTIALREGISTER WITH THE OUTER PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID UPPER MARGINAL PORTION,SAID DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CONCAVE MARGINAL PORTION DEFINING BALL TRACKRETURN MEANS THAT IS